The present invention relates in general to a carpet installation tool and, more particularly, to a tool for installing carpet around the nose of a stair tread projecting outwardly from an underlying riser or other such projection and the like.
The installation of various types of carpeting over a floor and, in particular, adjacent an upstanding wall is generally a simple task. For example, after securing a strip having projecting nails around the circumference of the area to be carpeted, a carpet installation tool is used to stretch the carpet over the projecting nails and to secure same thereto adjacent the upstanding wall. This tool is generally constructed from a rectangular block having a plurality of downwardly facing teeth and an extending handle having a padded terminal end. The carpet is installed by securing the block via the projecting nails to the carpet adjacent its peripheral edge and stretching the carpet over the projecting nails of the strip by kicking with one's knee the padded terminal end of the handle. Although this tool and carpet installation technique has been found suitable for installing carpet over relatively flat surfaces, such tool and technique is not suitable for use in installing carpet around a projection such as the nose of a stair tread which projects outwardly from its underlying riser. The installation of carpet around the nose of such a stair tread has heretofore been a laborious and difficult task.
In this regard, the carpeting of stairs has heretofore been accomplished by securing a first strip of carpet overlying and around the nose of the stair tread and then securing a second strip of carpet covering the underlying riser. More specifically, a length of carpet is secured to the stair tread adjacent the riser and stretched around the nose of the tread by manually gripping its free end and forcing the carpet around the nose and into the corner formed by the intersection of the stair tread and underlying riser. At this point, a staple gun is employed to secure the carpet adjacent the corner formed by the tread and underlying riser. Subsequently, any excess length of carpet is cut off at such corner and a second strip of carpet conforming to the size and shape of the riser is secured thereto by suitable staples.
From the foregoing technique, it can be appreciated that this prior art technique for installing carpet around the nose of a stair tread suffers from a number of notable disadvantages. For example, such installation by manual procedures is both laborious and time consuming, resulting in increased installation costs for the ultimate consumer. Further, such a manual installation technique often results in inconsistent quality of the installed carpet from stair-to-stair due to human error, inability to reproduce the same procedure from stair-to-stair and the like. Furthermore, the requirement of having to use individual pieces of carpet for the stair tread and riser is unsightly, subject to lifting at the corners and edges during use, as well as being less desireable than using a single piece of carpet to be installed over a plurality of stair treads and risers.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there is an unsolved need for a tool which is adapted for installing a continuous length of carpet on a plurality of stairs and, in particular, around the nose of a stair tread projecting outwardly from an underlying riser.